NUFC Blog

As a Geordie exile in London, I'm probably more of an away fan than a home fan nowadays, though I do still get myself up to St James' Park when I can. First realised I was a Magpie as a bairn when they reached the FA Cup final in 1974, but that's a long story!

Alan Pardew's short statement on what can only be seen as a lacklustre transfer window for the Magpies made it quite clear that owner Mike Ashley saw his real transfer window as having taken place back in January.

With most clubs having had a very busy transfer window so far with the huge increase in broadcasting revenues for the Premier League, Newcastle have only made one signing at the time of writing, and that one is only a loan! If they don't make any more before 11pm, I would expect that there would be more than a little unrest amongst Magpies fans, so I'm sure there will be much anticipation as we reach the final hours.

As for the game itself between Magpies and the Cottagers on Saturday, if I say so myself, I think I called it pretty well before a ball had even been kicked when I wrote in the 'match banter' post for the game on my own blog.

Another game, this time an eminently forgettable 0-0 draw against West Ham, and once again there was far more happening, and far more to talk about off the pitch as there was on it from the Newcastle United side.

Speaking at a meeting to reassure Newcastle United fans about the club's controversial sponsorship deal with Wonga, Newcastle United's financial director John Irving spoke in glowing terms about the four-year agreement.

Newcastle United's answer to the Three Stooges - Alan Pardew, Joe Kinnear and Graham Carr - were spotted and photographed at Nice airport by Twitter user 'Sewelly,' a Northumbria University Student and Newcastle United fan apparently.